Jayme Kamin-Oncea- USA Today Sports
According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, the Miami Heat have officially signed Justin Hamilton, the 2012 second round draft pick out of Louisiana State University. Hamilton is a seven-foot center that the Philadelphia 76ers drafted with the 45th overall pick in the second round of the 2012 Draft. The Heat acquired Hamilton from the 76ers shortly after in exchange for the rights of Arnett Moultrie. Hamilton went overseas immediately to gain some professional experience outside of the NBA and averaged 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds playing in both Latvia and Croatia.
The Heat now have 12 non-guaranteed contracts on their roster and a fuller front court with the signings of Jarvis Varnado, Chris Andersen, Greg Oden and now Hamilton. Although the young center hasn’t played a single game in the NBA, Hamilton can help solidify a potential weakness for the Heat with his size alone. Hamilton is definitely a raw product of the game, more desirable by teams for his size and age.
If Hamilton is able to make the final 15-man roster, he will most likely receive little playing time, unless a player in the frontcourt rotation gets injured. Regardless, Hamilton will be playing on a championship team and will gain a lot of experience. The Heat are also gaining a young, seven-foot center, which is a commodity in the league now. This was a smart decision by the Heat organization, and hopefully Hamilton can prove his worth during preseason to gain a permanent roster spot.
Jared Doyle is a Miami Heat writer for www.RantSports.com.
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